Twin tractor scraper or excavator



Feb. 2, 1932. c. c. ANDREWS ET AL 1,843,795

TWIN TRACTOR SCRAPER OR EXCAVATOR Filed Nov. 26, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ill. :1. ill:

F mm mm MN h% QM. A i 1 Z: l, 1 N 3 M o 07 .JHT Qh N Q N Feb. 2, 1932. c. c. ANDREWS ET AL 1,343,796

TWIN TRACTOR SCRAPER OR EXCAVATOR a Sheets-Sheet 2 91913771 imam 5 Filed NOV. 26, 1930 TWIN TRACTOR SGRAPER 0R EXCAVA'IOR Filed Nov. 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet I 3 Patented Feb. 2, 1932 IcA'R ca trat -5M1Mm aammwsbrewers, KANSAS- TTWI'N zitao'tton isoitarnnj ZOREXCAVA'IYOR j fipplic ation filed November 26,1930. Serial No. 498,464.

Tliis invention relates .to earth- Working appliances and particularly to scrapers. l he'general obgect otithis invention is to providescra'pers mounted inconnect-ion with and upona tractor and part cu'liirly tO PIOVlQlG an attachment- -ivhereby two scia'persinay beatta'che'd on oppositesides oiartarin tractor by .very siinple means which in no Waychanges the action'of thG-itlfiCilOlilbSGlf, but which converts the :tract or'into an excavating n achine of such;character:v as to make it suitable for use 1 in excavating ponds building dikes, cuttingiditches, grading in l'rm zp 'aces and in all 4 kinds I of road construction; Work or anygn' lierecwhei e i'dirt,.ssa-n(h gravel or similar scrapers to be raised entirely iro ground orflowered at theirfi'orward; ends into working position "or dumped as previously described and to pr0vide;a scraper supportina-terial is designed tobe need with scrapers. A further obg'ect' 1S EOHPIOVIdQ means whereby the attachmentvand the" load itself is carriedjonithe.tractoiyatlius mal-nnglit possible to worlt'in close places, andinaldng it possiblez'for the tractor: to l turnor-baclc W th its load which is not:possrblewvhere scrapers are: drawn: behindithe tractors or disposed. in N advance thereof. l

.r-ri' further" e'ct is :to provide anattach- I inentwhereby a pivoted scraper-or scrapers in this connection is to providean automatic: scraperreturn which-Will act to return the scraper-to its normalor earthirec'eiiiing position afterit is dumped.- p

A further object'is to' provide a construe tion of this character which will permitfthe the .ing :att-aclnnent .adapt ed totbemounted. upon atractor which Will support tivo scrapersone on-each sideoftheqtractor.

' thereto Other objects will appear-in the'course of the following description. Qurinventionds illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan View otqa' tractor with our excavator 111eOlll11lSl1i :applied =Figure-2iis aside elevation of the excavator mechanism on one sideof theitractor showing in dotted and; dot and dash-dines the various-positions taken by; the several-parts Figure 3 is aafragmentary rear. elevation of the ex-cavator and its latch,v the cover for the springsbeing in section;

Figure 4 is, a vertical sectional View Q through the rear end of the excavator and the crossbar, showing theparts in the position taken just before the latohrisreleased f Figurebis a like View tolTigure 4. showing the position-: olthe parts when the latchhas been released andthe lifting link is just. about to lift the rear end of the-excavator; V 1; j

. Figure 6 is a detailed" elevation ofthe tra'ctor euchgas an ordinary form of farm ct'or, the tractor having forwardesteering WheelsD and ttvo rear WhGBlS E, the rear wheels being niounted upon a rear axle housing designatedfB; there being a drivers seat ineansfor-operating.thelink 45, the plate 54 being-1n section. I V I T Referr n to these drawings, Adesignates mounted v.upon'the body of-the tractor and ward vfrom the driving seat and-operatively' connected. to the forward'wheelf yWhile we have designed. this machine-With particular there being a steering shaft C extending for- 7 referenceto one particular forin' oftractor,

'it'is obvious that it my be-.-applied. to. other forms oftra-ctors; I

Our, attachment. includes a .forwardcylindrical cross bar? designated 10 andwa rear cross, bar also; 1 preferably cylindrical and designated 11. 'fThe forward cross bar is co 7 nested to "the? bodyofthevtractor'in zany-suitableinanner, as for instancelby the connec tions 12. The rear crossbar ll-rests upon the draw bar 13ofthe tractor and is ibolted thereto by bolts 14. 'S Wing'ingly mounted upon the rear cross bar ll on each side of the tractor body are t lie long-itudina lly extending lit channel iron bars 15. It is to be understood that there are a pair of these bars on each side of the tractor. The bars of each pair extend forward to the desired distance and then are extended upward and toward each other at 16 and then extend parallel to each other as at 17. These bars are connected intermediate their ends by the transverse braces 18 and 19 and by any other suitable braces which may be considered requisite or neces- The forward ends ofth-e longitudinal bars 15 are disposed below the transverse bar 10. The rear ends of the bars 15 are swingingly connected to the transverse bar 11 by means of eyes 20 or in any other suitable manner permitting these bars 15 to swing vertically. It will be seen, of course, that the same construction applies to the frames on both sides of the body of the tractor.

The forward ends of the bars 15 are operatively supported from the transverse member 10 by means of a pair of bell crank levers 21. These levers are connected to each other by U-shaped braces 22 or in any other suitable manner so that both levers operate as a unit. These levers are oscillatably mounted upon the bar 10 by means of the U-bolts 21a orin any other suitable manner.. The forward endsof the levers are connected by the links 23 to the forward ends of the bars 15. The means whereby these levers 21' are rocked will be later described.

Pivotally mounted upon trunnions 24 or other equivalent devices and disposed be tween each pair of bars 15 is a scraper or excavator 25 approximately U-shaped in cross section and closed at its rear end but open at its forward end. This scraper operates between the bars 15 as previously stated. 'Upon the channel iron 19 there is mounted a latch designated generally 26 whose upper end has a downwardly and for wardly ext-ended detent tooth 27 having an upward and rearward extension 28. The shank of this latch 26 extends downward .in front of the channel iron 19 and then'beneath this, channel iron and is yieldingly held to the channel iron by means of bolts 29 ex tending upward through the angular end of the latch and'through the lower flange of the channel iron, these bolts being surrounded by the springs 30. 7

These bolts cause the latch to rock on the forward corner of channel iron 19-so that the upper end ofthe latch is thrown forward over the upper edge of the rear wall of the scraper as shown in Figure 4. A shield 31 is attached to the latch shank and extends rearward and downward over springs 30, thus protecting the springs and the lower end of the shank from dirt and dust. V l

Pivoted upon the upper edge of the rear Wall of the scraper is a ring or eye 32 which has a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 33, having a laterally extending portion 3 1 beneath latch 26 acting as a crank arm so that when the ring 32 is forced forward at its upper end, this arm 33, 3 1 will engage beneath the latch and shift the latch rearward, thus releasing the bucket. A spring '35 resists this action and thus holds loop 32 in .an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position shown in Figure 4. The shank of latch 26 has an upwardly and rearwarclly extending portion 26. This is to guide the crank arm 34 down into position on the scraper side of'the latch when the scraper is returned to its normal position. Otherwise than described, the scraper 25 may be of any suitable construction. Attached to the rear end of the scraper are lugs 25a engaging over the cross bar 19. It will be seen that, assuming the excavator bucket is lowered and filled with material, if then the forward end of the excavator engages the ground and the rear end is freed, a forward movement of the tractor will cause the excavator to be overturned to thereby dump its load, but in a normalposition, the excavator is so supported, that when the supporting bars'15 are lowered, the forward edge of the excavator will engage the ground and the excavated material will pass into the excavator and fill it. 7

For the purpose of raising or lowering the forward ends of the bars 15 and for releasing the excavator, we provide mechanism now to be described, it being understood that while we will describe the mechanism as being applied on one side of the tractor, it is equally applicable to the mechanism on the other side of the tractor.

Mounted upon the housing B is a base plate 36 which may be riveted, bolted or otherwise attached to the housing. This base plate carries the upwardly extending ears 37 be tween which is pivoted the operating lever 38. This lever normally extends rearward in asubstantially horizontal plan-e. Pivotally connected to this lever by means of the curved iron 39 is an operating rod 40 which extends forward and at its forward end is pivotally connected to the rear arms of the bell crank levers 21. To this end, the rod 10 is pivoted at 11 to the rearmost arm ofone of the levers 21 and attached to the other lever is the brace 42 which extends toward the rod 40 and is pivoted at 43 thereto. It will be seen, therefore, that when the rod 10 is shifted forward, the bell crank levers 21 willbe rocked to depress the forwardends of the bars 15 and when the rod 10 is retracted, the forward ends of .the bell crank levers will be raised, thus raising the forward ends of the bars 15. This movement of the rod 40is, of course, secured by the lever 38 and it is to be particularly noted that when the lever 38 is disposed in the position shown in Fig- -ure 2, the pivotal conneetion zof the lever to the 1 iron 39 is: below.- the pivotal: :connection of'the, lever. tothe ears: 37 and thus the lever? will be held against any lifting; movement-vand: thisiin' itself locksithe" bar 40*fron1 :any forward .2 movementuntil @the :vlever is litted.

' Whentliei-leverislifted It?) the dotted line "position shown in Figure, .2, the" bar; is

lmoi' edrforward. Incorder to depress this lever .=38w:a-gainst a 7 load, wit is necessary to pro vide the lever; 38 :withi a astirrup or step 44 :upon whichlthe operator may placehis foot :so' that-: his-weight r-maya'sbe Jutilized for the purpose of: shifting 'rthe lever from a vertical 7 position to :a; position below: thehorizontalr f-Fon thepurposeiofreleasing; the latch? 26 from fits-engagement with the excavator'and lifting the rear end of the excavator-so that v the forward end; may engage: the ground to thereby permit the-excavator to dump, we provide a swinging. link 45 pivoted at46 upon the: bar 40,: theg-lo werend of. this link being formed-with. ahooki4'7v engageable in the ring ,OIrlOOP For the purpose of swinging this link 45, wei provide a manually operable letveri48. {This lever is pivoted at 49 upon; the

rod" 40*:and; has/a! handle whereby it. may be inanipulated J'I'his lever1intermedi teV its free; end and the pivotal point 49 is connected by a chain 50 to a rod-L51 whichiiniturnis pivotally'conneetedto the-link45. This rod ear Ties qupon. itsthe" two :collarsf 52; and".between these collars there are disposed two coiled compression ;springs 53 (see iFigure fi).

Mounted-upon each of .the rods 40 there :is a plate 54 through which the rod passes and which engages between the springs53, Thus thesesprings Will yieldingly resist any movement of the rod5l' in either directionand-at.

the same time when the. lever48 is: turned to r a position releasing; the link 45,- the; spring 53 will act to positively-force the "rod 51 and the link 45;downw-ard-and forward.. "When the link [45 .is shifted downwardand "forwardby the releaseof thelever 48,the hooked I end of. the lever 47 .shifts'beneath the loop or ring 32 andif now the, lever 38 be swung up- \va rd toa vertical positionfwhich will actlto" depress the forwardendsof the supporting f bars gthe link45 will be moved-npward'into engagement withsthe' eyeor ring32 and will pullthis ringfffrom the position shown vin Figure 4 tov that show'n inEigure 5, causing the crank arinf3 3, 34 to swing the detent lateh' rearward, thus ffreeingithe' upper; end of the bucket ,and.a further .upwardiinovement' of .the' bar '40fdue to alfurther upward.n10ve-' lnent ofithe lever 38 will raise the rear end of the exoavator'25: and depress its'forwar'd end into contact with'ithei ground,lwhereupon, on

a" forwardniov ement of the'tractor, the ego eavator willbe caused to-rotate upon its pivots 24' we 'dumping position as shown in dot anddashlines in Figure2. To automatically return 5 the excavator Ito its 1. normal position l after it has been dump ed,1we s mount .upon'ithe: i nside bell-crank lever 21," the .pivoted arm-55. i This arm is pivoted at 56' to the inside bell crank lever 21and is also pivoted to the OHtSldGbQll crank lever b'yimeans of the :iron 67.; rlntermediate its ends; the arm-tis pivoted to a link 58 which in turn is pivoted at':59 ';tothe bar 40. Whenrtheie cavator is raised; that is,:.when the-forward ends oiz'ithe -:.b ars. 15 are raised; and the excavator is looked stand -inlthe" positionsshown inl'full lines in :Figure *4, but when the lever' 38 1 is turned 'intoranve'rtical position, thus lowering the forward ends 'ofthe supporting bars 15, the

11M455 willibe' swung downward asfshown in' dotted lines in- Figure .2. 7. Now when the eX- cavatorisadumped'tthe rear endoofthel e'x V V cavator will swing over, will strike iupon this: arm '55 and when the bar '40 is retracted the i'forward ends of the supporting j'baTSI15 al'6' again raised, the arms will swing upward, thus swinging the rear endof v a the excavator upward'and rearward, causing theexcavator by its momentum'to swin'g bac latched by passingthe nose 28' of the ''detent 27;; The

porting bars 15'- and" the forward 1 end of-the excavator supported" thereby to be lowered into engagement with the ground. without; 7 however,releasingthe latch26 so that the rear parts'zwillthen bem'their original position. I -r will be seen that With'this mechanism, :it is possible forithe' forward ends of'the su p- 1 r to its original position and be-autornatioally end-of the excavator is held fronr rising as shown in' dotted lines in Figure 1 2-. "Then :uponaforward movenient'of the tractor, the excavator wi'll dig into-the ground-'andfill, the forward ends of the bars l5'willthen'be raised bydepressing the lever 38 which; when it is depressed to the position shown in Fig 'ure"2,'iwill-be held'in' thisposition and the tractor maybe then-moved to a placewhere "the-earth isto be dumped; When-it" arrives at this position, the lever 48-i's released, thus swinging the-hook '45' forward and engaging the hook end thereof of: any ring-32. Then aslever'38 is raised to its vertical position,' 9% the'reai' end of the excavator will 'be released and elevated andthe excavator will be turned :npon its pivots and dumped; asibefore' stated.

vators-will be --'operated.

v Byrr'nountingthe exoavatorsupon tractor frame as described;:the 'wei'ght'iofithe load tractor.

ismost efliciently balanced or distributed upon .the frame midway between the rear driving wheels and the. front steering wheel of the tractor. Under these circuinstances, the tractor maybe backed, or turned or moved forward without difficulty, thus permitting the tractor to be operated within a very limited space. i v a I 1 i V This is impossible where the excavator is either hauled by the tractor at the rear thereof. or mounted on push bars in front of the It will be seen, of course, that this attachment. may be readily removed from its engagement with the tractor frame to permit the tractor to be used for other purposes, but as a matterfof factw-ith the excavators raised, the tractor can be used for hauling or for any otherflworkr for which the tractor is suitable. It-will be seen in Figure 2 that we have shown in full lines the position of the parts when the excavator is, raised and either full or empty; that we have shown in dotted lines the position of: the excavator when loading and in dot and dash lines, we have shown the position of the excavator. when rotated to a dumping position.

We claim 1. In an implement Of the character de scribed, a pair of supporting bars pivotally supported at their rear ends and vertically movable at their forward ends, an excavator disposed between the supporting bars and pivoted adjacent its forward end .to the sup porting bars, the forward end of the excavator being open and'the rear ends and sides beingclosed, manually operable means for raising or lowering the forward ends of the supporting bars, a latch engaging the rear end of the excavator and holding it from pivotal movement upon the bars, and manually operable means for releasing the latch to thereby permit the excavator to be rotatedto dumping position, including a hook swingingly mounted on said manually operable ,means, and adapted when swung in one direction to operatively engage the rear endof the scraper and release the latch, and manually operable means for swinging said hook into or out of operative position.

2. In an implement of the character described, a supporting frame, a pair of-sup- V porting bars pivotally mounted at their rear ends upon the frame, and vertically movable at their forward ends, an excavator disposed between andpivotally mounted adjacent its .forward end upon said supporting bars, the' excavator being closed at itsrearend, a resiliently actuated latch holding the rear end of the excavator from upward ;movement, bell crank levers pivotally supported upon said'frame, and having-link connection at their forward ends to the forward ends of the supporting bars, a longitudinally movable operating rod connected to; said. bell ,crankilevers and extendingrearward above the supporting bars, a lever pivotally mounted upon the supporting frame and engaging with the rear end of said rod, said lever when turned rearward operating the rod rearward, causing the lifting of the forward end of the supporting bars, a reverse movement of the lever causing the depression of the supporting'bars, ia member mounted upon said operating rodand having a hook end adapted whenshifted into operative position to operatively disengage said latch from the rear end of the excavator and lift the rear end of the excavator when the operating bar is moved forward, 'manually operable means for shifting said member into or out of its latch and excavator engaging position.

3. In an implement of the character described, a supporting frame, longitudinally extending supporting bars'pivotally mounted upon the frame attheir rear ends, and having a transversely extendingbrace, an excavator disposed between and pivotally ino'unted upon said'supporting bars, the rear end of the excavator being closed, a resiliently actuated latch mounted upon the transverse brace and normally engaging the rear end of the excavator, to prevent its upward movement, the rear end of the excavator having an 'eye, bell crank levers pivotally mounted upon the supporting frame and at their forward ends having linked connection to the forward'ends of the supporting bars, a longitudinally reciprocatable' operating rod pivotally connected atits forward end to the bell crank levers, manually operable means at the rear end of the rod whereby the rod may be reciprocated, and means mounted upon said rod and manually shiftable into or out of operative position for engaging the eye on the rear end of the excavator, and operatively disengaging the latch to'release it from engagement withthe excavator when the operating rod is shifted forward.

4. In an implement of the character described,"a supporting frame, longitudinally extendingsupporting bars pivotally mounted upon the frame at their rear ends, and having a transversely extending brace, an excavator disposed between and pivotally mounted upon said supporting bars, the rear end of the excavator being closed, a resiliently actuated latch'mounted upon the transverse brace andnormally engaging the rear end o'f the excavatorto prevent its upward movement, the rear end of the excavatorhaving an eye, bell crank levers pivotally mounted upon the supporting frame and at :tlieirfo'rward ends having linked connection to the forward ends of the supporting bars, a longitudinally reciprocatable operating rod pivotally connected at its forward end to the vbell crank levers, manually operable means at the rearend oftherod whereby the rod maybe reciprocated, and means mounted 7 member being manually shiftableinto or out of-operative position and when operative upon said rod and manually shiftable into or out of operative position for engaging the eye on the rear end of the excavatonand 'operatively disengagingthe latch ,IEIOID'3l3l18 rear end of the excavator when the operating rod is shifted forward, and-a-member carried by saidrbell crank levers adapted to be swung downward and forwardasthe-bell crank; le-

vers are swung to depress the'forward end of the supporting'bars and adapted-to receive H the rear :end of the excavator when it isover turned, said member acting to lift the rear end of theexcavatonand return it to its initial position when -the operating rod ,is pulled rearward.

:5. implement of "the character deend, therear-end of the excavator being closed,

a transverse brace on the supporting bar's, J-ust behind the rear-end of the excavator, a resilient latchengaging w1th the rear end of the excavator, means for releasing thelatch including aring pivoted to the rear wall of the: excavator and having a portion extending beneath the latch, which, when the 'ring'is swung forward and upward,- liftsthe latch from its engagement with thezexcavator', a

longitudinally reciprocatable operating rod, manually operable means fOI'TGClPlOCfliZl-Iig isaidrod, means connected to the forward end of the rod to cause the raisingor lowering of the forward ends ofthe supporting bars as the rod is reciprocated, anda member having a hook pivoted onsaid operatingrod and extending downward behind said latch, said position engaging the: ring as the 7 operating rod is shifted forward, and causingthe oscillation of said ring and the detachment ofthe latch and the subsequent lifting of the rear .cndof the excavator whereby the'excavator may be overturned and dumped. j t

'6, .An implementof the character ds scribed, including a supporting frame, .par-

allel supporting bars mounted pivotally upon the frame at theirrear ends, the forward ends ofithe bars being vertically-movable,anexca'vator disposed between and :pivotally moun-t-ed-upon said-bars, adjacentits forward end, the rear .end of the excavator being closed, a-transverse brace on the'supporting bars, ust behindthe rear endof the excavator, :a resilient latchTen-gaging with t'hei near end of the excavator, means for releasing the latch J including a ring pivoted to-thejrear wall of the excavator and having a portion-extendbeneath thejlatch .which, when the ring 7 I isxswun-g forward and; up ward, lifts the latch from its'engagementwiththe excavator,- a

V longitudinally reciprocatable operating rod,

manually operable means for reciprocating said rod, means connected to the forward end of the rod to cause the raising'or lowering ofthe forward .ends of the supporting i bars as the rod is reciprccated, and a member having a hook pivoted on said operating rod and extending downward behind SaICl latch,

{said member being manually shiftable into or out of operative p'osition and whenin'oper- ,ati've position engaging the ring as theop er ating rod is shifted forward, and causing the oscillation of said ring andthe detachment of the latch and the subsequent lifting of the rear end of the'excavator whereby the excavator may be overturned and dumped,

and means receiving therear end of the excavator as it s overturned and actuated.- by

said operatin'g. rod to return the excavator the operating rod to its normal position when is retracted. V a Y n 7.- In an implement of the character described, an excavator pivotally'mou-nted adjacent its forward end, the rear end, of the excavator being closed, 'a transverse member disposed-- at the rear end of the excavator, a'

la-tchformed of a strip of metal having ,a

portion extending beneathrsaidtransverse member, springsdisposed upon saidtransverse member, bolts passing thro'ugh the'= springs and into that portionof the latch beneath the member, whereby said latch is resiliently held in ainormal positioniwith the; upper. end of ,thelatch, engaging -over' the rear wall of the excavator, a ring a swingingly; mounted upon the 1 rear wall of "the excavator adjacent the latch, said ring having an angularly disposed off-set arm extending beneath the latch, a; spring urging the ring into a position with the arm a disposed toward the rear ,wall of the. excavator, manually operable means for raisingv or lowering-the forward end of the excavator and including a longitudinally reciprocatable element,a 'hool member pivoted, to the element andhavi-ng its hooked end disposed rearward of and below said ring, and manually operable means for shifting the hook-ela ment into a position to engage said ring as v the hook element isshifted forward and 11p ward by the movement ofthe reciprocatable' element to thereby swing said ring and disengage thexlatch and permit tlie rear .e nd'of the ,latch to be engaged by. thehooked element.

8. An implement of character described, including. a supporting frame, a pair of, supporting barspiyotally mounted at their rear ends upon thesupportingwframe for vertical movement, an excavator disposed between and pivotally mou-nted upon Qsaid bars adjacent its forwardgend', tl1e rearend of the excavator being 1 closed, :a brace' extending across said bars rearward of thee):-

cavator, a latch;Loperatively;-mounted upon said brace, and normally engaging over the rear end of the excavator, the latch being resiliently held in this position but adapted to swing upward and rearward away from the excavator, a ring swinging mounted upon the rear wallof the excavator and having an angularly disposed arm with an off-set portlon extending beneath the latch, a spring urging turned into an approximately horizontal position rearward carryin its point of pivotal connection to the' operating rod below the fulcrum of the lever, a link pivoted to the operating rod and normally extending downward and rearward and having a hook at its ends normally disposed behind and below said ring, but out of a positionto engage therewith, a rod pivoted tosaid link, a manually operable lever mounted upon said operating rod and operatively connected to the rod engaging the link whereby the link may be shifted forward or rearward into or out of operative position, said link when shifted into an operative position and when the operating rod is moved upward and forward by the lever at its rear end engaging said ring to thereby cause the release of the latch and thelifting of the rear end of the excavator whereby to permit the excavator'to be overturned and dumped.

9. The combination with atractor, of a transversely extending supporting member mounted upon the rear end of the tractor rearward of the driving wheels thereof, two pairs of supporting bars disposed one pair on each side of the tractor, the bars of each pair being disposed on each side of the corresponding'wheel of the tractor, said supporting bars being pivotally connected with the transverse'member, an excavator pivotally supported between and on each pair-of supporting bars, the rear end of the excavator being closed, manually releasable means carried by each pair of bars for holding the rear end of the excavator from upward movement, a pair of bell crank levers detachably mounted upon the forward .end of the tractor frame, one for each pair of supporting bars and operatively connected to the supporting bars, an operating rod for eachbell crank, lever and extending above the supporting bars, manually operable means'for each operating rod detachably supported upon the frame of the tractor.

10. The combination with a tractor having supporting barsdisposed on each side of the body and extending longitudinally thereof and pivotally engaged'with the rear end of the attachment member for vertical movement, an excavator pivotally mounted between eachpair of supporting bars, the rear end of the excavator being closed, manually releasable means for holding the rear end of each excavator from lifting movement, a transverse bar mounted upon the forward end of the tractor, and extendingabove the forward ends of the supporting bars, bell crank levers mounted upon said transverse bar and operatively connected to the forward ends of the supporting bars, manually operable means mounted upon the rear axle housing of the tractor whereby the bell crank levers may be operated to raise or lower the forward ends of the supporting bars, each independent of the other, the forward move 'ment of the tractor when the excavator latching means is released and the forward ends of the supporting bars are depressed, causing the overturning of the excavators to dump the same, and means connected to the bell crank levers to receive the rear end of the excavator when it is overturned and cause the return movement of the excavator to its initial position when the bell crank levers are raised.

11. The combination with a tractor having a body, a transversely extending axle housing at the rear of the body, rear driving wheels carried by said housing and a front steering wheel, of means detachably engaged with the tractor for supporting excavators on each side of the body of the tractor forward of the rear wheels including an attachment member engaged with the frame of the tractor and extending on opposite sides of the tractor forward of the rear wheels, excavators disposed one on each side of the tractor forward of the rear wheels, andpivotally mounted upon said attachment memher for tilting movement, manually controllable means for raising or lowering the forward end of the attachment member, and manually controlled means for tiltingthe excavators upward and forward to cause them todump.

12. The combination with a tractor, of a transversely extending supporting member mounted upon the rear end of the tractor rearward of the driving wheels thereof, two pairs of supporting bars disposed onerpa'ir on each side of the tractor, the bars of each pair being disposed on each side of the corresponding wheel of the tractor, said sup porting bars being pivotally connected with the transverse member, anexcavator pivotally-supported between and on each pair of a forward steering wheel and two rear trac- I supporting bars, the rear end of the excava- I tor being closed, manually releasable means carried by each pair of the bars for holding the rear end of'the'excavator from upward. movement levers one for eaohpair of sup-- porting bars operatively connected ,4 to the forward ends of the supporting bars and operatively mounted upon the tractor, and manually operable means for eachof said levers m'ountedupon the tractor adjacent the rear end thereof.

' "13. In an earth working implement of the I character described, a tractor frame having tor wheels, two pairs of longitudinally extending excavator supporting bars disposed I one pair on each side of the tractor,'each pair of bars being pivotally supported at their rear' ends, manually controlled means for raising or lowering'the forward ends of the supporting bars, two excavators each plvotally mounted between and supported by the corresponding pair of supporting bars; and

means for each excavator for holding the rear end of the excavator from upward move ment, and manually controlled means for re- V leasing the [holding means and lifting the rear end of the excavatorto thereby tilt the excavator and bring its forward edge in engagement with the ground and permit the excavator to dump.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

CARL G. ANDREWS.

AARON A. ANDREWS. 

